Elizabeth Connerty Lucas Ryder NovelAn 18-Year Divorce Promise

For eighteen years, my wife, Elizabeth Connerty, never once reached out to her first love, Lucas Ryder.

She committed herself fully to me and cooked warm meals for me. She attended every parent-teacher conference for our daughter. She carefully planned our family trips year after year.

That was how we livedquietly, steadily, and happilyfor eighteen years.

But after our daughter celebrated her eighteenth birthday, I turned to Elizabeth and said, "Let's get a divorce."

She stood in the doorway of our daughter's bedroom, staring at me in stunned silence.

I added calmly, "When our daughter was born, you promised me that once she turned eighteen, we would divorce."
Chapter 1
Elizabeth Connerty let out a muted, incredulous laugh. "It was just a joke. How could you possibly take it seriously?"
In that moment, the gentle, graceful woman standing before me overlapped with the bright, carefree girl she had been eighteen years ago.
Our marriage was a business alliance. Before meeting me on a blind date, she'd had a college sweetheartLucas Ryder.
He came from a poor family, and the Connerty family refused to accept him as their son-in-law. They sent him overseas instead.
I laid out two choices for her.
First, she could chase after Lucas, and I would find someone else to marry.
Second, she could marry meand cut ties with him for good.
Out of duty to her parents, she chose me.
After we married, she treated me well. She soon became pregnant, and I began to believe that I could gain both business advantages and love from this union. So when I had my car accident, my instinct was to call her.
But she didn't answer.
When I came out of the emergency room, she returned the call. Her voice was honest.
"I'm sorry, honey Lucas went into anaphylactic shock"
She chose himchose to stay by his side because she loved him.
On the phone, her words faltered, as if she didn't know what to say next.
In that instant, I curled inward like a hedgehog, pulling every shred of affection I had for her back into myself.
Suddenly, on the other end of the line, her breathing quickened. A doctor shouted for her to be wheeled into the delivery room.
For Lucas, she hadn't even spared a thought for her own body.
When I looked at the tiny newborn daughter wrapped in swaddling cloth, I said, "Elizabeth, can you promise me thiswhen our daughter turns eighteen, we'll get divorced.
"For these eighteen years, I need you to play the role of a good mother and a good wife in front of her."
Elizabeth whispered a single word, "Okay."
I never forbade her from contacting Lucas again. But she seemed to shut that door herself. She devoted herself fully to being a responsible wife and mother, never reaching out to him again.
I knew she did it out of dutyto our daughter, to her family, to the life we had built.
But I also knew she had never truly let him go.
Every time she groped for the old hair tie he'd given her every month when she quietly sent someone to gather photos of him overseas she revealed a love she tried so hard to hide, a devotion that grew wild and unchecked.
Eighteen years passed. Her parents were gone. Our daughter had grown into a poised young woman.
And Ifinally, completelyhad let go of whatever feelings I once had for Elizabeth.
So now, I want her to pursue the love she never stopped longing for.

Chapter 2
I had been wrestling with how to explain everything to our daughter, yet the first obstacle came from Elizabeth instead.
Gently, I said, "It's alright. You don't need to worry about me. I let go of everything eighteen years ago."
Elizabeth froze, as if seeing my true stance for the first time.
"You don't need to worry about our daughter either. I'll talk to her. You're free now, Elizabeth."
I lifted my head and met her eyes. "So It's time to honor the promise we made eighteen years ago."
She sighed, guilt softening her voice. "I'm the one who wronged you. If you or our daughter ever need anything, I'll still take responsibility."
Then, almost trembling, she picked up her phone and dialed the long-forgotten number.
That night was the first time we ever slept in separate rooms.